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E60 / E61 (2004 - 2010) BMW 5-Series E60 Sedan was first seen in the Unites States in the fall of 2003 with a 2004 Model Year designation. The E61 wagon followed shortly there after. The E60/E61 5 series is now available as a 528i, 528xi, 535i, 535xi, 550i and a 535xi sports wagon! -- View the E60 Wiki

My 2008 535i has started leaking oil pretty badly. After driving it and parking it in my driveway, I have a noticeable puddle of oil under the car.
Took the splash guards off and that big metal plate off from under the engine. Metal plate had a bunch of oil on it.
Ran the engine for a few minutes while I was under the car but couldn't see anything obviously leaking.

My 2008 535i has started leaking oil pretty badly. After driving it and parking it in my driveway, I have a noticeable puddle of oil under the car.
Took the splash guards off and that big metal plate off from under the engine. Metal plate had a bunch of oil on it.
Ran the engine for a few minutes while I was under the car but couldn't see anything obviously leaking.

Any suggestions on how to locate where the oil is coming from?

Thanks!

First, with a major leak, don't let the oil run low while you're looking. Running the sump below the oil pump intake will kill your engine faster than you can believe. If you need to take it in, have it flatbedded, unless you've found the leak to be a slow one or not the motor oil.

The leak could also be the power steering fluid, or even the transmission fluid. Both have piping that runs across the bottom and lower front of the engine. Note that N54 power steering fluid is usually brownish-green and older transmission fluid will be brown as well -- but neither will typically be as discolored as typical motor oil.

It is definitely oil leaking as the level has dropped significantly since this started. I cleaned everything off of the engine that I could reach. Again, nothing substantial that I could see, although the engine was only idling while I was looking. I will get a helper to rev it up while I look again today.

I'm in the same situation with my 2008 528xi. Probably a 6" diameter puddle overnight. I took off the splash guard, and the big aluminum plate, and oil was everywhere. Keeping my fingers crossed because it was leaking, I changed the valve cover gasket, then gunked all over the engine. The next morning, I gunked again, then rinsed the engine top & bottom with warm water. The engine looked like new!

So I cleaned the aluminum plate, put it back on, and gave it back to my wife to drive for a couple days. Puddle of oil again! But now it's very clear that the leak is either the back of the oil pan, or the rear main seal. I'm not sure how to tell which it is. Looking through the small square inspection hole, I can see a little of the flexplate & ring gear, & they're both dry. I'm taking it to an Indy tomorrow, he's going to put it on the hoist, clean it up, & put dye in the oil. Not sure if that will help tell which it is. We'll probably take our best guess, and have him replace either the oil pan gasket or rear main & cross our fingers. He's leaning toward oil pan gasket. He says if he does it, he won't use an oil pan gasket, he'll use some sealant Subaru uses to seal the engine case together. I need to understand that better.

So I finally got a call from the dealer. They say it's either the rear seal or bedplate. If it's the rear seal, $1700. If it's the bedplate, around $4000 in labor alone. They won't know until they get the transmission pulled off. Worst part is they can't work on it for a couple weeks.